Kathy Shaidle has some interesting points on conservative politics and culture.
In response for Tristan Emmanuel's call to support the Conservative Party, she writes:
The fact is: party politics doesn't really matter as much as culture. Conservatives, especially conservative bloggers, who waste their time worrying about this candidate and that riding would better serve the cause by supporting and creating better families, movies, books, tv, schools...
The sometimes rabid, fan boy obsession with conventions and leadership and polls and speeches is like an intentional distraction, something to make themselves feel like they're "doing" something and thinking important thoughts -- when what really matters has nothing to do with the ephemeral fortunes of this or that party.
I think the non-partisan approach has been tried. Maybe it's time to try something else. I'm suggesting Campaign Life become Conservative-- but maybe individual so-cons can think about supporting the CPC.
I do agree that culture is important. It's the reason why so-cons have not been able to make as many inroads in politics as we would like.
We need to form people's hearts. We need more so-con writers, poets, playwrights, television producers, directors, advertizing execs, historians and so forth. Whatever professions mold the public consciousness, we need more of those.
If we are to be a credible movement, we need to more than a bunch of church-goers and bakesale people. Look at successful social movements. They all have their own art, entertainment, stories, artefacts. We need THAT. And not just that glurgy Ned Flanders-type crap-- although that's fine for people who like that sort of thing.
Culture is the porthole through which "average" people gain a glimpse into a movement. It's "safe". You don't have to be a radical feminist to like feminist literature. You are not obliged to join in order to watch. No one is looking at you. You can accept it or reject it in the privacy of your own home.
Most people don't have that porthole into the so-con movement. All they have is what the media tells them, and it's not good.
I'm trying to at least write some stuff. But culturally, we're the way Afghanistan is economically-- we need a lot of EVERYTHING.
Blogs may be the first step. I always thought there should be a Canadian Conservative writer's group. That'd be a really good start. We could read each other's stuff.
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